Infinite & Beyond
by crimson sana
Summary: In a world of silvers and reds, monarchies and commoners, rich and poor, good and evil, right and wrong, he was the day, she was the night, he lived for misty mornings, she lived for wild nights, he was the sun, she was the moon, they were opposite souls yet they both waited impatiently for the days when they both could co-exist. Ichiruki AU!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:Yo! Bleachers and fellow IchiRuki fans! This is my first bleach fiction and I hope it's up to the expectations of all you lovely readers. This fic is a special dedication to my motivation and inspiration, my favorite author, my personal therapist, my best friend, my partner in crime, my chibi-chan, my sister from another mother - " _Jazzlu"_. Sister I love you! Thank you so much for pushing me to write this and publish it, thank you for these lovely 10 months and the 3440 pm's! It was supposed to be your "All the best gift" for your exams but my laziness kept interfering, so now that it's here it's as a holiday present and a bribe to update all of your stories! **

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own bleach. But I do own a crazy imagination, however, which will probably become apparent as you proceed but your are warned since there is absolute **OCC-ness** , **fluff** and a lot of **cheesiness** which could not be healthy for your sanity. But please give it a shot any way!_

AU! IchiRuki!

* * *

Infinite And Beyond

Chapter 1: The Meeting.

It was pre-sunset by the time he resumed walking towards his house, drenched in sweat and tired to his bones. At this hour he was supposed to be resting in his bed staring at his room's ceiling and enjoying his little victory. But it seemed that fate had other plans for him. Those stubborn bastards who lost their money to him in today's soccer match proved to be rather difficult in accepting the fact he won fair and square. And so he had to beat up some sense in them in order to let him go. Yuzu would have his head for being late and he could bet she'd definitely throw a fit after seeing his injuries.

Thinking about ways to apologize to his baby sister, he stopped by a vending machine to quench his thirst; gulping down his drink, he halted to admire the majestic view ahead of him. Through the alley's opening he watched with an unwavering gaze, as a fiery red orb of light slowly sank beneath the horizon and the threads of light lingered in the sky, mingling with the rolling clouds, dyeing the heavens first orange _(precisely matching the shade of his hair)_ , then red, then dark blue until all that was left of the sunset was a chalky mauve and then that gradually blended into stygian.

Cursing as the time passed too quickly for his taste, grudgingly he continued his way back home through the dimly lit pathways, taking every shortcut he remembered to reach on time, he came to an abrupt stop as he met a dead end. Okay this wasn't supposed to happen as far as he remembered he was to be right in front of his lane, a few blocks away from home. Shock was evident on his handsome face as his eyes widened, on the contrary to the dead end what astounded him was the sight greeting him, there a petite girl with her back facing him clad in black was fighting a bunch of thugs _(six to be exact)_ double her size and gushing a string of colorful curses that could without doubt make any priest penalize her equally guilty for blaspheme. He stood there smirking to himself utterly fascinated by this little elfin as she bet the shit out of those guys. It was quite a scene to witness, definitely breathtaking, her swift movements, her agility, her precise hits; everything about her was screaming grace and sophistication, bewitching him completely. Ichigo Kurosaki was spellbound by this mysterious girl and he was enjoying every bit of it.

He had planned hiding in the shadows a bit longer to continue admiring his new found interest but with his chivalry kicking in he decide to step up. As though on cue sensing his presence one of the thugs aimed a punch right for his face but with his sharp reflexes he easily dodged it and hit the guy straight in his face giving him a bloody nose. The girl now facing him raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow to question him and he merely shrugged in response _(her face blurred by the poor street lights)_. Clearly his presence was not welcomed and he was ambushed by two bulky guys at the same instant. His heart thumping loudly, adrenaline was surging though his veins as he ducked and promptly avoided the hits that were thrown his way. Rising to his full height he kicked one of them straight in his face. Thanking kami that the man was in his kicking range. Excitement, Exhilaration, Thrill took over him completely. _'Oh this is going to be fun'_ he thought chuckling to himself wickedly. This feeling was what he lived for, heart thumping loudly in his rib-cage reminding him always that he is still alive and kicking, chest heaving from all the panting making him keep count of every single breath he inhales and exhales, he could trade the world to keep feeling this way. **It was his only reason to live, he lives to feel alive.** _Well only reason after his family; his sisters_. When the next guy aimed for him, he simply karate chopped at his pulse point and the man fell unconscious. By now he was sure he was grinning like a maniac.

 _3 down, 3 to go_

When he turned back to help his person of interest he was astonished once again. The remaining three were now unconscious and all tied up, where she had managed to find the rope was beyond him. Without a single glance his way she carried out her work, which was rummaging through the contents of her waist pouch. And he stood there anxiously, shifting on his feet, anticipating, after what seemed like forever she found the item of her interest _\- tranquilizing darts_. His eyebrows shot up, this chick is super weird and should he say _a bit scary?_ So he stayed frozen, a little unsure but curious as hell and kept studying her profile. Injecting darts in her captives she marched forward towards him where the rest lay defeated and they too met the same fate. As her tasks were accomplished she looked him right in the eye with a firm gaze that made his breathing hitch, whether it was the ferocity in her gaze or the color of her eyes he didn't know. He swore he could drown in those mesmerizing amethyst pools that were oh so prettily complemented with long thick black lashes which only added more to its beauty. He then took notice of how pale her skin was and the moon light only made her glow, further adding charisma to her very being. If not for her complexion then she'd perfectly camouflage with the shadows with what she chose to wear, her attire was black - complete black which simply enhanced her appeal. The black 3/4th sleeved v-neck hugged her modest curves flawlessly and left the rest to one's imagination, her black skinny jeans were like a second skin to her long lean legs. Her pouch belt which rested on her slim waist taunted him as it just enhanced her feminine structure. Her obsidian locks were pulled back high in a pony tail exposing her tempting neck while her front bangs were clipped with a fragile purple butterfly barrette perfectly harmonizing with her hypnotizing eyes. Yup Ichigo Kurosaki was fascinated beyond words with this little elfin, who stood with such supremacy and authority that made him want to surrender, willingly submit to her very command. In 17 years of his existence never had he ever felt such strong desires or urge to reach out to someone unknown, to know more about this stranger, to acquaint himself- hell to make her part of his very being. Her stoic poker face was clashing with her eyes, there was an unnerving emotion swirling in them that had shaken him up. After years of solitude he finally wanted to be a shield for someone apart his family, he wanted to share her burden, comfort her, and protect her from what he simply did not know. But he was damn sure he would do everything in his power to keep her close because what he saw in her eyes mirrored his own. The inner turmoil, the heartache he carried for losing someone dear, the insecurities, the longing for love and affection. Her eyes were the windows to her soul and it just so happened to mirror his. His train of thoughts was broken when he noticed how close they have come almost face to face just a few inches apart, whether it was him or her that had closed the distance between them he did not know. But now that she was a touch away, his heart raced faster than ever, like it could jump out of his ribcage any moment now. For the very first time in his life he was nervous, self-conscious and edgy and all because of one girl _and since when did girls started making him anxious it always had been the other way around right? riiiiight?_ And her emotionless face did not help him the slightest. As his nervousness increased ten folds she did something that surprised him yet again, she slightly bowed to him in an attempt to thank him _(maybe?)_ then she turned , her pony slapping his face and left. And right there all in a blink of his eye she was leaving, he was quick to register her departure and called out to her.

"Oi! Wait up!"

She halted in her tracks, her back facing him and he disliked it immediately, he wanted to see her face, her eyes when they talked. Taking her halt as a sign to continue he spoke.

"Um, what exactly will happen to these guys? Surely we can't just leave them, can we?"

"Just let them be, they'll be taken care of" Raising her left hand she gave a short wave and disappeared in to the night's welcoming darkness.

And he stood there frozen to the spot, feeling the tremors down his back, the after effects of her voice. He wouldn't have thought that someone so small, so petite can have such a rich alto voice, so warm and velvety it left him wanting for more.

Shaking himself from his little reverie he made sure that she was not a mere illusion from his never-land so he kept pinching himself just for the sake of it, assuring himself till satisfaction. He tried recalling her, her face, her midnight locks, her petite frame, her alluring eyes, and her ferocious personality. He couldn't have imagined someone with such precision and perfection, right? Plus she was super weird, like really weird. He wondered what may have caused her to engage in a brawl with bulky jerks twice her size and what intrigued him the most were the darts, where in the world could she find them? And her reasons for carrying it around he did not even want to comprehend them just the thought of it gave him the chills down his spine and mind you not in a good way. So she really must have been an actual living breathing person, someone most certainly not from his subconscious because no way in hell would he ever dream of someone so peculiar, so mystifying, so strange and so shadowy. And with that final satisfactory conclusion he headed home, this time paying much attention towards his surroundings to avoid anymore unexpected encounters.

All the way back she kept haunting his subconscious, the entire encounter kept coming back to him in bright flashes, like a reel of memoirs reminding him of every tiny detail of her and that's when it abruptly came back to him; her departure that is. _Shit, Shit, Shit!_ _Damn him to the hell and back, how could he have missed it? Double damn him!_ He was so blinded by her presence that he had almost missed the most important detail about her which would _-no doubt-_ lead him back to her. Kami how stupid can he get? It was THE VERY OBVIOUS thing that stood out the most about her and that was what he had most certainly overlooked, on her left hand was a bright red fingerless glove with a white skull engulfed in blue and black flames. The only piece of her attire that was NOT BLACK and he had almost overlooked it! _Gah!_ He was so frustrated with himself and with the stupid meddling of fate and destiny. For the very first time a girl had piqued his interest and he was praying hard that she would be THE ONE who'd ever fancy his interests but NO fate and destiny had to interfere and lady luck as always wasn't on his side and this chick, this damn chick _just_ had to be _Reaper! A damn Reaper!_

* * *

She was soaking in lukewarm water, froth covering her completely, a lush blend of fresh jasmines, blue violets, sheer lavenders & soft musk wafted throughout the bathroom calming her senses, taming her erratic heartbeat, assembling her jumbled thoughts. Her gaze glued to the window, through where the moonlight spilled illuminating the murky bathroom in its soft glow.

Her subliminal lost to a certain orange haired boy, their encounter fresh in her mind, refusing to leave her in a moment of peace. She was mess right now, her very being a complete and utter chaos and all because of one orange haired punk! His eyes were penetrating her soul, breaking down her defenses, making her feel weak and fragile. When their eyes met they seem to have a conversation of their own, there was something about him that made her want to come out of her shell, show herself out to the world. He ignited a spark within her that burned brighter than any star, making her skin ablaze, tearing her veins, leaving her feeling tingling all over. He shook her foundations, awakened her suppressed feelings which she kept locked away in her deepest darkest part of her heart.

Her soul was experiencing a wild storm where her emotions were the waves in rage coming and hitting the shore with full force. She was lost in the sea of emotions, drowning in her thoughts; in the memories of the past which she rather forget, the one she locked up in a dusty old trunk in the back of her mind, the past which she tried so hard to erase kept sneaking up on her in the most unprepared ways, like right now. His eyes were questioning, they held a certain maturity, a bit of naivety and a whole lot of innocence but what shook her were the sorrows and loneliness, the grief and regret swirling in the smoldering amber that made her want to cry. For the first time she held a hope that maybe someone out there would understand her, help her chase her demons, escape the shadows, stand by her side and walk the endless path to oblivion but like everything in her life her hope was futile. He was just a stranger, a passerby whom she'd never meet, a faceless person just walking by.

She cursed her luck and got out of the tub trying to shake away the heart wrenching thoughts. Wiping her body with a towel she stood in front of the mirror examining herself, she was marred with scars all over. Her pale body was a canvas to bruises, black, blue, purple and pink fading in and out all over like an abstract of galaxies. She was imperfect, flawed both physically and emotionally; it was the cold reality she'd accepted a long time ago. She stood there seeing the girl in the mirror that appeared to be lifeless, broken and lost and that indeed she was. She no longer knew who she was, she had no home, her identity was blurred in the passage of time and all she had was a name with no emotional attachment, a house with no sense of belonging and a family with absolutely any love.

Rukia Kuchiki was just a name of a broken girl who lost herself in the cold harsh world, a girl who felt nothing but sadness. She tried hard adjusting and to be strong but at nights like these she hated herself for feeling so lost. At nights like these she felt hallow on the inside, so damn empty and out of place. At nights like these her mind wanders to the wild unknown. At nights like these she counts her tears to lull herself to sleep. At nights like these all she has is her loneliness to comfort and her darkness to feel.

But then he came along and made her question herself, it was as though a new found determination surged through her veins, she could just leave all the shit behind and start a fresh, a new identity, a new home-her home, a new life, a new everything… And maybe just maybe he'd be a part of it too. He'd be her sun to chase away the dark clouds because for the first time she felt happy, truly happy even after reminiscing about her life and it wasn't anything special really, just his presence alone managed to bring out a true genuine smile on her face, locking her eyes with her reflection in the mirror she wiped away the tears- _no more crying now_. He was a bright light in her dark world like the first ray of sunlight after days and days of storm, she didn't know him or his name or anything about him yet he was already a huge part of her shaken up world. It was crazy really; it didn't make any sense, not to her or probably anyone but you know it was as though she knew him all along. You know how sometimes you meet a person and you just click- you're comfortable enough with them to lower your guard, break all your defenses, it's like you've known them all your life and you don't have to pretend to be anyone or anything and you can just be you, the real you, he was that person. She had a gut feeling that she'd be seeing him soon, very soon and she had no idea what she'd do at that time. She was screwed, royally screwed and for the first time she wasn't scared for the unprepared, unpredictable.

* * *

He was lying on his bed staring at his ceiling nursing his jaw which was sure as hell bruising all because of his stupid father who can't keep his hands to himself. Dinner was as crazy as it can get with his stupid father around, the little ounce of guilt that he held for being late for dinner, for making his sisters wait all went flying out of the window when his father jumped right at him, hitting him and kicking him for a good fifteen minutes. By then he had lost his appetite and only sat down as a courtesy and an apology to his baby sisters. He tried damn hard to keep his mind from wandering too much and tried focusing on the tales of his sisters but damn it he couldn't, all that was going through his head was a petite girl with eyes like jewels that held a story much like his. Now back in the confines of his room he let his mind wander freely, back to that girl. He couldn't help that small smile that crept on his face when he thought about her; he couldn't understand what was happening with him, why she was the only thing on his mind, even after knowing that she was a Reaper. Ah! He had almost forgotten that she was Reaper, _again_. Man she was one dangerous chick and he knew if he ever met her again he'd be heading towards the dangers of the Undertown the dark side of the city which people chose to ignore and forget. But for the life of him he couldn't, he had too much history with that place. And he had this gut feeling that he'd be seeing her soon and he can't wait for that moment. It's like he had something to look forward to apart from school and soccer, something that gave him a purpose. His dull life was actually turning into an interesting one and he was looking forward to it.

With a soft smile on his face he got up from his bed striping his clothes to change into his tracks he got ready to sleep. Lying in his bed with his comforter wrapped snugly around him he drifted to a peaceful slumber in a long time with purple-blue eyes as a last image in his mind before completely losing himself to the world of dreams.

* * *

With a smile on her face she stepped out of her wash room and made way to her room. Getting ready for the night she slipped her undergarments and an over sized T-shirt over her petite frame, drying her hair as best as she could with her towel and tying them up in a sloppy bun she took her laptop and moved into her cramped living room writing a report of today's mission in detail skipping the parts where an orange haired teen helped her out. Satisfied with the draft she mailed it to her Captain. Done with her task's she moved to her open kitchen and fetched herself a glass of milk and a packet of chips; her dinner. With a satisfied stomach she switched off the lights and retired for the night, draped warmly in her blankets snuggling in her comfy bed she waited for the sleep to engulf her, orange was all that was swirling behind her closed eyes before sleep took her to a happy place where distant memories kept coming back to her.

* * *

 **A/N:** _My first attempt at IchiRuki, my most favorite pairing! I hope it was a fairly good job! **Please review! *.***_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Yo! Bleachers and fellow IchiRuki fans!**

 **Here's the second installment, I apologize that it has been a month for this to come out, but sadly life got in my way. Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you so berry berry much for all the reviews, follows and favorites. I'll try best to update it earlier this time, but no promises, though I'll be completely free after the 6th of July.**

 **Disclaimer:** _I do not bleach. But I do own a crazy imagination, however, which will probably become apparent as you proceed but you are warned since there is absolute **OOC-ness** , **fluff** and a lot of **cheesiness** which could not be healthy for your sanity. But please give it a shot anyway!_

AU! IchiRuki!

* * *

Infinite & Beyond

Chapter 2: Colliding yet again.

 _It was a breezy day; the sweet fragrance of wildflowers wafted through the air. A young toddler was chasing dragonflies barefooted through the lush green grass with her hair fluttering; her giggles and squeals were echoed throughout the meadow. Behind her under the shade of a willow tree, there rested a couple against its bark embracing each other and watching their daughter with soft smiles. She was a mess, her hair had twigs and grass hanging about, her tiny feet were stained green and she had mud and dirt scrapped all over her elbows and knees and yet to them she never looked prettier. With contentment on their face, they watched their little girl, having the time of her life. She caught one of the dragonflies by its wings and brought it closer to her face for inspection and then ran back to her parents calling out to them._

" _Look papa! Look I finally caught a dragon!" She said with a toothy smile._

 _They laughed softly and her father made his way towards her picking her up in his arms and kissing her crown he said "Wow Rukia that's so pretty, but why don't you let the poor creature go now,"_

" _But papa I don't want to!" she pouted ever so slightly._

" _And why is that my child?"_

" _Because they keep teasing me,"_

" _Teasing you, how so?" Now he was intrigued by what his little princess' five-year-old mind could come up with. Don't get him wrong his little girl was quite sharp for her age, but at the same time, her imagination was as wild as the wind._

 _She looked up to him a frown marring her features and she whined out "They can fly papa, they fly and I cannot and they come right in front of me and they keep reminding me of the fact that I can't! It's not fair papa! I want to fly too!"_

 _He had to laugh at that. "So just because you can't fly you wouldn't let them too?"_

" _Yes!" she nearly screeched_

" _Now now Rukia-Chan that's not so nice," her mother had now joined their conversation and her father agreed silently nodding._

" _But I want to fly like them!"_

" _Hmm how about you let the poor insect fly dear and I'll help you fly,"_

" _Really papa you can do that?" Her eyes were twinkling with excitement._

" _Of course, I can, but you might want to hurry dear or else he'd die,"_

 _She gasped and quickly released the poor fly out of her grasp "I don't want to kill him, will he be all right papa?" she asked as they watched the dragonfly stumbling for a steady flight._

" _Yes dear he will be," her mother softly spoke patting her head and dropping a kiss._

" _Now then shall we begin my dear?"_

" _Yes, yes, yes!"_

 _He lifted her high up in his arms and threw her in the air and then caught her swiftly back in his strong embrace. By then she was having a laughing fit._

" _Again papa, do it again!"_

* * *

The sun was slowly creeping its way over the horizon, spreading its soft pastel glow over the karakuran sky. A certain Reaper rolled about in her bed, opening her eyes lazily; blinking repeatedly she stood up and stretched in the direction of the magnificent dawn break. It was certainly a sight to behold; opening her windows as wide as possible she welcomed the sweet smelling spring breeze rejuvenating her very existence, with a gentle smile on her face she decided to start her day. She was still sensitive about the dream she had, but was _it_ really a dream or a distant _memory_? She decided to pay no heed to something that she didn't remember and started moving about. Showering and changing into her signature outfit - black v-neck and black skinny's with her hair pulled back in a pony. She walked into her kitchen in hopes of preparing a decent breakfast but the lack of groceries left her with only a glass of milk. It was almost five thirty by the time she finished with her morning routine, grabbing her gray hoodie, cell phone and her apartment keys she left for an early walk.

Rukia was making her way down the street; the April breeze blowing caressed her face softly and tickled her slightly. She was absorbing the view in awe, the nature that was surrounding calling out to her and in all honesty, she was astonished. Her second day in town and she was loving it already. Karakura was balanced wonderfully in modern architecture, historical heritage, and the natural vegetation, something that she absolutely adored. The city was to the southwest of the capital Seireite and was all in all an amazing place. She crossed several streets and crossroads exploring as much as she could with an empty stomach but at last her hunger won over when she stumbled upon a small family restaurant. It was quite surprising to find a place open at six thirty in the morning but she was glad nevertheless. Smiling at the couple behind the counter she made her way to the table near the window. Ordering a ginger tea and a traditional Japanese breakfast consisting of rice, miso soup and pickled cucumbers she settled down. She consumed her food at a steady pace, savoring the taste and relishing every grain of it.

* * *

With absolute nonchalance and utter boredom, he dragged himself to school. Paying no attention to his fellow schoolmates who were all engaged in the customary greetings and pleasantries, he had his entire concentration lost to his 6x6x6 Rubik's cube as he made way to the gates of Karakura high that were ahead of him. He never understood the need of bothering themselves with such formalities, pretending to be interested in each other's lives; it was nothing but a nuisance, all but a waste of time anyway. He at all times tried his best to stay out of such involvements since they tended to be a hindrance. Reaching his classroom and nodding to his group of friends he took his place by the window, settling down he waited for the class to start.

::

With a satisfied stomach, Rukia left for her exploration. Karakura, as she thought, was perfect, not one bit disappointing, so far she had passed by many shopping streets, fish market, The Karakura hospital, several cafes and bakeries, restaurants, arcades and two malls. It was around noon when she had come across one of the community parks. It was quite a large park with well-mowed grass, trimmed bushes, sand boxes, swing sets, food vendors, ice cream trucks, mothers and their toddlers running about, old couples resting by the park benches' feeding the birds. The park was buzzing with activity, laughter squeals and murmurs filling up the air. Buying herself a cotton candy; her much-needed sugar intake, she spotted a tall tree far away from all the commotion. As she came closer she tied her hood on her waist and climbed her way up the tree. She perched herself atop the sturdiest branch. Rukia was thoroughly enjoying watching the view her position offered. It was like she was sitting on top of the world, and when she looked around all she could see were the blue spring skies and sunshine, the silhouettes of the civilization blurred by the rolling clouds. Up here there were only the birds chirping and the wind whispering its tales from the travels she had set, of the oceans with a bit of salt and grain, of the marshy lands with a bit of earthy aroma, of the grasslands with a bit of fragrance, she cherished times like these where her only companions were the fundamentals of nature. Moments like these were simply extraordinary, she knew from her personal experience that there will be the good times and the bad times, however, these extraordinary times will outlive all the moments ever experienced. It was some time later when fatigue consumed her wholly, she rested on the branch with her arms as a pillow and her hood draped over as a makeshift blanket and gave into sleep.

::

The black strip-bandana across his forehead started to soak with all the sweat and was clinging to his skin in an uncomfortable manner, but he could care less about it or how his jersey was clinging to his body and it was starting to get real uncomfortable, yeah, he wasn't bothered by how sticky and irritating his soccer uniform was turning into, nope, not one bit because all this seemed to be far less irritating when compared to the hoots and shrills and screams and screeches coming from the combined female population of his class and the senior one _._ _ **'**_ _Oh, the horrors_ _ **'**_ He could literally rip his hair off. Their insanity was ticking him and he could blow up any second, but he couldn't afford that at such a crucial moment. The sun was hot on his back as he was dribbling the soccer ball, turning and blocking those who tried to find an opening. The sweat was glistening as it rolled down his hairline, past his cheekbones, trailing its path along his neck and disappearing into his jersey. Class 2-2's Ichigo Kurosaki A.K.A Karakura high's football team's ace was charging forward with all his might chanting the mantra in his head _\- drag, dribble, drag, and dribble_. As the goal post came in his line of sight, he did a full 360 turn and artfully dodging his opponent while making the final goal before the last remaining seconds ticked away.

 _ **3-2. Victory for class 2-2**_

He was smirking, his eyes shining with a sly mirth, as their P.E teacher congratulated his class for their victory against the senior class. _**'**_ _Such a shame to lose against your juniors, serves them right for openly challenging_ _ **'**_ He wasn't the one to brag about, but he'd admit, he only ever plays to win, P.E or not Ichigo Kurosaki loved winning. His ego feeds on victory, besides losing is never an option for him, he would never back down. As he made his way towards the bench for a much-needed gulp of water, he heard Uryu Ishida-The Student body President/Football team's manager/The model student of Karakura high _ **(**_ _who sadly happened to be his friend? Wait no! Enemy? Nah! Acquaintance! Yeah his acquaintance_ _ **)**_ mutter under his breath _"Che, cocky Bastard"_ And he could only grin back in response. He avoided all the commotion and the hoards of the insane female population as they were congratulating him or more like screaming their lungs out. He escaped them with hastening steps so he could quickly shower, change and leave in search of _his_ mysterious Reaper.

* * *

 _Arrrgghh! Blast him! Blast him! Blast him! Fuck!_ Groaning and pulling his hair out in frustration, he slumped down against the bark of a tree. Closing his eyes, he stretched out, shoulders slouched, legs crossed at the ankles, head tilted backward. What was he thinking? It was a wild goose chase right from the start. Looks like his father's insanity finally impinged on him because he was completely mental in having hopes of finding _his_ Reaper by merely hunting the town. Kami hated him, really hated him, even after all those prayers and pleads, what had he gained? Nothing, Absofuckinglutely nothing! He was brooding, cursing the gods to the hell and back. It was as if Kami-sama chose to hear him that exact moment and a gray hood fell atop his head. _'What the heck? Where the hell did it come from?'_ He looked around searching for the possible source of this certain hood's sudden appearance, but a frown overtook his face completely when he found none. The gods were set on punishing him because soon enough a black converse landed on his head with a loud thud.

"The fuck?" And this moment he had actually bothered looking up. _'Ah! So that's where it came from!'_ Up there on the branch, someone slept very comfortably, mind you as though it were their bed. How it was humanly possible was beyond his comprehension, must be an ape for sure. _'Time to disturb the peaceful nap'_

"Oi, Oi!" he kept calling out to this person _loudly_ and they kept sleeping like there's no tomorrow. Taking desperate measures he picked up that offending shoe and chucked it right back at that person. With a precise aim, the shoe hit them on their thighs _probably_ and they stirred out of their sleep.

"About freaking time ya got up?"

::

Rukia was blissfully enjoying her slumber, all day's activity had tired her out. But it seemed that nature was against her and was conspiring ways to disrupt her peace. First, she hear's an awful amount of bitching then some flying object hits her with quite a reckoning force. She got up angrily to give the offending intruder a piece of her mind only to be interrupted by a familiar baritone. When she turns around swinging her legs off the branch and looks down at that rude specimen she gets the shock of her life.

Ichigo sees that person getting up and he can only assume he would receive some sort of verbal insults or probably some embarrassed apologies but what he doesn't expect is _that person_ happened to be _his_ Reaper. He is left flabbergasted, wow guess he has to apologize Kami-sama and should start thanking him instead.

Their eyes locked and for a moment it was just the two of them, it was only them and their untamed hearts and their wild breathing, the rest of the world was long lost, _forgotten_. It was only them and their strange longing for each other, nothing made sense but to them for the first time, something was perfectly clear. This was weird, something beyond comprehension, something that mere words couldn't describe. It was a strong pull like a magnet attracting metal, it was wild like the storm, it burned hot like the fire, it was static-like electricity, sparks flew brightly, it was warm, it was, it was like coming home. God knows how long they stayed like that, her sitting on that branch and him on the ground looking at her like a blind man seeing the world for the first time. The frozen time slowly thaws, seconds ticking and they finally find their lost voice. "You!" "You!"

She slides down the branch and lands gracefully in front of him and that's when she notice her shoe and her hoodie are missing.

"Um, have you by any chance seen my shoe and my hood?"

The boy snorts, "Ah! Yeah, they kinda fell on me a little while ago,"and he notices that his response brings a little color to her otherwise pale cheeks.

"I see, sorry about that," he hands her the hood and points toward her shoe. Tying her hood on her waist she slips back her shoe and looks back at him. "You threw my shoe to wake me up!" he notices it's not a question rather a statement and her gaze pins him to the spot, leaving him a bit unsettled. Clearing his throat he replied, scratching the back of his head "It hit me on the head pretty hard, and I was calling out to you and you wouldn't get up, I really had no other option," biting on his lower lip with earnest eyes he breaths out "Sorry?"

Her face morphs into a small smile and she nods slightly. Silence falls on them both looking at each other unsure of what to speak. Rukia swings back and forth on her heels, hand clasped in her front, eyes a bit wide and lips pressed tightly. Ichigo isn't any better, hand in pockets, a soft scowl on his face, chewing his cheek's insides'.

' _Great, just great what am I to talk to her?_ _What am I to say?'_ He kept praying to every deity that he finds her and now that she is in front of him, his mind is completely blank, he can't process a coherent conversation. Something comes to his mind and he smiles slightly.

"Would you like to join me for a walk?"

Rukia's mind was screaming _**'overload'**_ not even in her wildest fantasy had she thought that she would meet him so soon. Fate was a funny thing really. What was she to do now? She was utterly at a loss. Her palms were sweaty, butterflies were going wild in her tummy and she couldn't for the life of her utter a single word. _'What is she to do?'_ she wants to say something, anything but she just simply can't. Her line of thought is broken when she hears his voice, exceptionally soft and it makes her insides shiver. She looks up and meets his gaze there isn't any hesitation just a silent plea and she sees him offer her his hand. With a small smile of her own, she extends her hand and intertwines their fingers as he leads them away from the park.

"So, how come I haven't seen you before?"

"That's 'cause I only did come here yesterday,"

"Really? That must be it! otherwise, I'd see you around, ya know near the Undertown," so finally he was able to admit it loud and clear.

Snapping her head upwards she looked at him, she was baffled really. Did he know about it? What more was he aware of? She couldn't help but ask him. "You know about the Undertown?"

He smirked slightly noticing the shock dominating her face, honestly, he was amused. "Ah! I do."

"What do you know of it?" she really had to ask him. _What all did he know? Is he associated with the Undertown? Is he a part of it too?_ Fear was clouding her mind and her thoughts were turning hazy, chills ran down her spine and she couldn't help but stiffen.

Noticing the change in her demeanor he halted and glanced her way. He took in her profile; her head was bowed down, her body was rigid and she was shaking slightly. _'Shit!' 'Did I say something wrong? Is she offended?'_

"Hey! Look I am sorry if I offended you somehow, but I know the basics of the Undertown, too much history with that place."

She met his gaze, his jaw clenched, his free hand tightly forming a fist. "Are you or were linked with the Undertown?" Her eyes hard as steel, her poker face back. _'She has to ask him, confirm it. Life certainly can't be that much of a bitch to her, right?'_

"Eh?!" Is she shitting him right now? Is she even in a position to be questioning him on this matter? _'Bloody Hypocrite'_

"Just answer the damn question." She squeezes his hand and her voice trembles slightly, her gaze fixed on her shoes. He can't help but notice her helplessness and his heart clenches.

"Obviously not! That place ruined my family years ago and we are still suffering," he didn't mean to raise his voice but it's a touchy subject.

"What happened?"

"That's a story for other time, but what about you? What has gotten you so appalling towards it? Aren't you supposed to be a Reaper? Don't you belong there?" He knows he's being rude but right now he couldn't care.

"Yes, I am. And I don't deny the fact. But what exactly do you know about the Reapers? We are much more than what an eye meets. We're not a bunch of _yakuza_. There's much more to us than being simply labeled as mere _criminals_ ," she was breathing pretty hard by now, her voice was razor sharp and it pierced right through his heart.

"Then what exactly are you people?" he was curious, weren't they the most feared ones? The tales of the Reapers were pretty famous amongst the shadowy allies. They were respected and looked up to. But never were any accounts about their origins, or about their motives ever heard. They moved stealthily, worked in shadows and vanished into thin air. Despite it, they were popular and their mysterious ways of operating were turned into myths and were worshiped.

"I'm not at a liberty to say, but I assure you we aren't rebels or felonies. What people say about us is not even an inch closer to reality. They are all cooked up fabrications and we kept it that way to protect ourselves; to keep ourselves hidden." She was much calmer now, her voice a bit stable, they were a great deal civilized than that from the previous minutes, no longer snapping at each other.

"Ah! I see," he was skeptical, his voice and body language gave away his uncertainty and she had a hard time resisting snorting out loud.

"Look I know, you aren't buying any of it and I can understand. But know that I have no reason to lie and pretend, what would I gain from it?" He was analyzing her words, weighing pros and cons of the situation. And it started to make a little sense. Like why would she freak out on his _supposed_ affiliations with the Undertown? And why would she defend herself so ardently? Maybe she really is speaking the truth. And her eyes they weren't lying, she wasn't hiding, she was out in the open, for him to read her completely.

"I believe you," his voice was firmer now and his eyes were hard as steel. She nodded and left it at that. They resumed their walk, hands still intertwined.

"So, are you a delinquent?"

"Whaaaat?"

"I asked are you a delinquent?"

"I heard you the first time, I'm just surprised what made you think so?"

"Well for one your immense knowledge about the shady happenings around the town and that absurd hair of yours and all that scars, you really can't blame me! I mean you had bruises all over you and you were lurking in dark allies."

"Hey! I had gotten into a fight before bumping into you and I was in a hurry to reach home and I lost my way! It was a bad day. Not my fault if I come across a _midget_ who is fighting thugs double her size, dare I say and is it too bad if I want to help, out of humanity," he spat.

Her left eye was twitching, all she could see was red, with her free hand she punched him in the shoulder, hard.

"I AM NOT A MIDGET!"

He was laughing, openly laughing even after receiving a punch that hard. "Sure you aren't," his voice was teasing her, mocking her.

Huffing and turning away from him she tried pulling herself free but no avail, he squeezed her hand tighter and pulled her forward with him, resuming their walk.

"To answer your previous question, no I ain't a delinquent, I actually am a pretty good student, one of the top ten in my class rankings," he was back to his smirking.

She had to scoff at that, _'cocky bastard, time to get even'_ "Wow, I am quite surprised, amongst the first ten rankings, that's impressive, so you do have some brain underneath all that ridiculous hair of yours. My, my aren't you full of surprises carrot-top?"

He was scowling and glaring down at her, "Ever heard of genetics, midget? Hereditary is the reason behind it, not some dye."

"Payback is a bitch ain't it?" The only reply she got was a scoff. Satisfied, she was smirking on her utterly childish behavior. Wow, she does lose herself around him, doesn't she? It's been only an hour or so and here she was acting completely unlike her usual stoic self. He really did have an effect on her. He brought her to life, ignited her spark and set her on fire.

"Do you like dango?" he asked her, not waiting for an answer, Ichigo set off in the direction of the dango vendor. Reaching the vendor he bought two skewers of sweet tri-colored dumplings. Handing her one, he pulled them both down on the sidewalk, where they could sit.

"Uff, how about you warn me before you start pulling me?" she was a little irritated to be manhandled like a rag doll.

"Sorry," he offered not sounding sorry at all. He faced her when there was no comeback and saw her eyeing the skewer strangely.

"What? You don't like it?"

"N-no, it's not that, I like them a lot, but I can't possibly take this," her tone was soft and low.

He scoffed "Pssh, nonsense, I was and am hungry and lunch always tastes better when shared, don't think too much."

She nodded and bit into her treat, enjoying the sweetness it offered. A soft "Thank-you" was murmured.

"Che, no worries."

* * *

Hand in hand they walked around the town aimlessly, having odd conversations with the familiarity of long lost friends. They were now by the riverside skipping stones across the water. The content silence between them was interrupted by an incoming message on Rukia's phone. With a sigh she checked her message, having suspicions of what it may be, her damn _duty_.

Getting up she spoke "I have to go, duty calls," she was fidgeting,not really sure of what to expect. She didn't want to raise her hopes up, but a teeny tiny part of her wanted, needed to see him again. Today was so far one of the best days she had had. Spending time with him came naturally, they were complete strangers and yet it felt that they knew each other from centuries ago.

Behind them, the fiery orb was departing with its warmth and glow while the night crept up, slowly forming an abstract of reds, purples, and blues, the luminescent moon peeking out of the fluffy mass of clouds. It was a spectacle to behold, both the sun and the moon to co-exist so beautifully, definitely breathtaking. It took him a good few minutes to form a coherent response. Hearing about her departure had him upset, though he knew very well that it was inevitable. Locking their gaze, he broke the silence, "Will I be seeing you again?" he had to ask her, it was eating him up.

Those pretty eyes that had swallowed galaxies, intently looked at him, with an earnest smile "Well I can't promise you something I have little to absolutely no control of, if I am alive and well, I'll certainly see you."

Her words left his heart beating wildly, he understood them better than anyone. His only response is to grin back at her "Yeah I'll be waiting."

Nodding back at him, she drags herself away from him. Each steps heavier than the previous. He stands there, hands in pockets observing her retreating figure. A lump forms in his throat and his stomach tightens at the thought of her so-called job. He doesn't have the heart to let her walk willingly into the dangers of the Undertown, but it's not his place to voice out is objections,at least not yet. The farther she moves the bigger the lump grows and finally his anxiety wins over him and he calls out to her, "Oi, will you be okay?"

Listening to his voice, every cell in her body commands her to stop. She turns back facing him, eyebrows raised, daring him to continue. Within an instant, he reads her and knows she's probably annoyed, offended even. So he rephrases his words "Would you like me to join you?" but this only irritates her further as her fists clench. And in a cold harsh tone, she speaks "Are you questioning my abilities? Need I remind you that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides I am a trained professional it's my freaking job." She's livid, fuming in rage. If there is one thing she wouldn't tolerate its questioning her abilities.

He frowns at her if anything he made the situation worse, "No midget I ain't doubting you or your abilities, I know you're more than capable seeing last night as proof enough. It's just the Undertown that makes me uneasy," he's now sporting a red tint on his nose.

Her eyes widen, her heart flutters and her breathing is suddenly unsteady. She can feel the heat rushing to her cheeks, there are knots in her stomach and her body tingles. 'Care' in a very long time someone has bestowed her with the act of tenderness, someone cares for her well-being, about her safety and she is overwhelmed by the feeling that her soul quivers, it burns within her brighter than the shooting stars. She is afraid that she might breakdown and that's the last thing she wants to do.

Averting her gaze from him, masking her emotions and composing herself she smiles up to him and in a soft voice replies "Idiot, have some faith, ne?"

He nods in confirmation though his entire posture is rigid, he nods again and meets her waiting gaze, "Yeah, I'll be waiting then, same time, same place." And this time, he was the first to leave, he couldn't bring himself to watch her walk away willingly into that dump of a place.

And she takes her leave too, with a smile on her face she re-checks her task for tonight. It's a fairly easy, only one target but she might have to use her full force and rely on her powers. Taking one last glance at his retreating figure, she's a little surprised to find him gazing her too with a small nod and smile she wills herself to get on with her work. Little do they both know that they are being observed by gentle smiles.

* * *

"You know Kisuke, I saw something really interesting today."

"And what may that be my dear?" his hands were caressing dark black hair with crimson highlights belonging to a small woman with an ashen complexion, adorning a blood red dress with the hem ripped up vertically. Behind her closed eyelids were crimson jewel-like irises holding the power to foresee. She was curled up in a fetal position beside him on the front porch. He looked up to see Yoruichi smirking slightly, her eyes shining with mischief.

"Our little Ichigo was with a little Reaper on a walk by the river and if you ask me they were pretty cozy by the way."

"Ah! And this Reaper by any chance happens to be Kuchiki-san?" His all seeing eyes were hidden by his bangs, a knowing smile on his face.

"Precisely!"

"I see, so it's _finally_ time," his voice a little low yet serious and the woman in red smiled, knowing what her master was _hinting_ at.

"Time for what, Kisuke. You know I hate being left out." Knowing her husband as well as she did, she knew there was something brewing behind her back.

Tipping the brim of his hat and flipping opening a fan magically he started "It's time to celebrate Ichigo's path to _ADULTHOOD!_ " "We have to tell Isshin, oh and Tessai bring out our finest sake, it's a celebration after all!" he was screaming his lungs and dancing in weird circular movements. Soon enough he pulled his wife into his crazy antics. Twirling her and squishing her in hugs.

"Oh! That's a wonderful news, thank-you _kitten._ " Dropping her a kiss, he hurriedly ran back inside ordering Tessai to make fine arrangements. Yoruichi was left dumbfounded, shaking her head she muttered "And you _wonder_ why they call you a _madman_ ," she turned to go back inside when she noticed the woman who sat by her husband vanished into thin air leaving a cloud of red in her place.

* * *

 **A/N:** _So how was it? Like it? Hate it? **Please review** and let me know! ***.***_

 _Oh and sorry if Ichigo seems to be out of character! Can't help it!_

 _Until next time!_

* * *

 _P.S. Edited: 24th June. (A few mistakes here and there)_


End file.
